Jail for Sydney Policewoman Who Avoided Alcohol Test

A policewoman has been sentenced to at least a year in jail for pulling rank over a rookie police officer at a random breath testing stop.

Police sergeant Sarah Louise Johnston, from Sydney, wept as the judge handed down the sentence at the Downing Centre District Court on Friday, news.com.au reported.

“I consider the offender’s conduct was disgraceful,” said Judge Christopher Hoy as he sentenced Johnston to 16 months in jail with a non-parole period of 12 months.

The 50-year-old woman was found guilty of committing an act with the intent to pervert the course of justice.

“This is misconduct the community would expect honest and upstanding members of the police force … to abhor, resist and report,” said the judge.

Johnston has “brought shame upon herself … and to all honest members of the police force,” the judge said.

Johnston served at the North Sydney police station and was pulled over by chance at a random breath test (RBT) in January last year when she was off duty. She had been drinking at two hotels with colleagues celebrating the New Year not far from the station, according to media reports. She was traveling back to her central coast home at the time of being pulled over.

The news.com.au report said that the two junior officers conducting the RBTs immediately recognized her.

One of the officers, Constable Tugcan Sackesen, told the court that Johnston first pulled her vehicle up alongside Constable Cameron Brooks but rolled forward towards him before Brooks could breath test her.

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